Tutorial 1
Course Name: Geotechnical Engineering-II (CEN15102) Session: 2024-25 (Odd)
1. A column of a building transfers a concentrated load of 1000 kN to the soil in contact with the footing.
Estimate the vertical pressure at the following points by making use of the Boussinesq and Westergaard
equations.
(i) Vertically below the column load at depths of 1 m, 2 m and 4 m.
(ii) At radial distances of 2 m, 4 m and 6 m, and at a depth of 4 m.
2. Two columns A and B are situated 6 m apart. Column A transfers a load of 500 kN and column B, a
load of 250 kN. Determine the resultant vertical stress on a horizontal plane 20 m below the ground
surface at points vertically below A and B.
3. Three footings are placed at locations forming an equilateral triangle of 4 m sides. Each of the footings
carries a vertical load of 500 kN. Estimate the vertical pressures by means of the Boussinesq equation
at a depth of 3 m at the following locations:
(i) Vertically below the centers of the footings,
(ii) Below the center of the triangle.
4. A and B are two footings of size 1.5 x 1.5 m each placed in position as shown in Fig. 1. Each of the
footings carries a column load of 400 kN. Determine by the Boussinesq method, the excess load footing
B carries due to the effect of the load on A. Assume the loads at the centers of footings act as point
loads.
Fig. 1
5. Determine the vertical stress at a depth of 3 m below the centre of a shallow foundation 2 m× 2 m
carrying a uniform pressure of 250 kN/m2. Use equivalent point load method.
6. A single concentrated load of 1000 kN acts at the ground surface. Construct an isobar for 𝜎 =
40 kN/𝑚 by using Boussinesq’s equation.
7. A circular ring foundation for an overhead tank transmits a contact pressure of 300 kN/m2. Its internal
diameter is 6 m and external diameter 10 m. Compute the vertical stress on the center line of the footing
due to the imposed load at a depth of 6.5 m below the ground level.
8. A square footing of size 13 x 13 ft founded on the surface carries a distributed loa d of 2089 lb/ft2.
Determine the increase in pressure at a depth of 10 ft by the 2:1 method.
9. A long masonry wall footing carries a uniformly distributed load of 200 kN/m2. If the width of the
footing is 4 m, determine the vertical pressures at a depth of 3 m below the (i) center, and (ii) edge of
the footing.
10. For the plan of a loaded area on the surface of a clay layer as shown in Fig. 2, determine the vertical
stress increase at A and B due to the loaded area. A and B are located at a depth of 3 m below the ground
surface. The uniformly distributed vertical loads on the area are also shown in Fig. 2.
1
Fig. 2
11. A strip footing 2 m wide carries a uniform pressure of 250 kN/m2 on the surface of a deposit of sand.
The water table is at the surface. The saturated unit weight of the sand is 20 kN/m3 and K0 = 0.40.
Determine the effective vertical and horizontal stresses at a point 3 m below the centre of the footing
before and after the application of the pressure.
12. A total load of 900 kN is uniformly distributed over a rectangular footing of size 3 x 2 m. Determine
the vertical stress at a depth of 2.5 m below the footing at point C (Fig. 3), under one corner and D
under the center. If another footing of size 3 x 1 m with a total load of 450 kN is constructed adjoining
the previous footing, what is the additional stress at the point C at the same depth due to the construction
of the second footing?
Fig. 3
13. A load of 337 kips is imposed on a foundation 10 ft square at a shallow depth in a soil mass. Determine
the vertical stress at a point 16 ft below the center of the foundation (a) assuming the load is uniformly
distributed over the foundation, and (b) assuming the load acts as a point load at the center of the
foundation.